Flight/Origin-Destination: AC161 Toronto-Vancouver
Date: December 15, 2010
Cabin: J
Status: Elite

Pre departure
Was check in quick and efficient? -- Award flight. Checked online a day before (> 24 hr) to see what seats still available, and my selected seat was still available. Called Aeroplan to ask, and was told that there had been a change in equipment (knew about that and the two changes in schedule), and there was a note on my file that my seat needed to be re-assigned. Asked whose responsibility that was (Air Canada or Aeroplan) and was told Air Canada. I got my seat but was told to check with Air Canada since we were too close to flight departure. Phone transfer to Air Canada didn't work, and I dialed in. Was told that there was no need to call since my seat showed up as assigned, and after I explained situation, was told it was Aeroplan's fault. A few hours later, did regular online check-in and that went fine.

Did you use priority security (if eligible) and if so, was it quick and efficient? -- Yes I did, but after it looped around, it just fed into the regular line. There weren't many people, so it didn't really matter.

Did you use the Maple Leaf lounge and if so, any feedback in regards to service, food and drinks? -- Yes I did, food was O.K., drinks O.K.

Was priority boarding offered (if applicable to your status) and efficient? -- When I arrived at the gate 5 min after stated boarding time, I could go right up to the priority lane and through. Efficient.

If there was a delay, did the gate agent provide timely updates? No delay.

Onboard - J cabin:
Were the crew professional & well groomed? -- The crew was very good, and certain members made a point of brown-nosing with the SE's, but I guess that's what that status is for.

If there was a delay, were you provided with timely updates? -- Slight delay with some explanation.

Was the IFE activated on the ground? -- No. Started perhaps 30 min into flight with some glitches.

Was a pre-departure beverage offered on the ground? -- yes.

Did crew offer to hang your jacket? -- I gave them my heavy winter jacket.

Were newspapers & menus distributed and meal orders taken (Please specify when meal orders were taken - on the ground or in the air)? -- Newspapers distributed on the ground, menus in the air, and orders taken in the air.

Approximately how long after take off did it take for the first meal service to be completed? (From takeoff to all items collected) -- More than a hour.

How was the quality of all the meals? -- Good.

Did the cabin crew continiously top up the beverage of your choice throughout the flight? -- yes.

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POST DEPARTURE

If you have checked baggage, did it arrive within reasonable period of time?
- Checked baggage didn't all arrive promptly. One set of priority bags came out very quickly (within 10 minutes of getting to the carousels), and one of my two pieces was there. There there was a wait of over 30 minutes for another set to come out, but my second bag was not there. Then after 10 minutes, Baggage People announced that there were problems with our bags (about 15 people remaining), and that we should come to fill out claims. We filed over, and I noticed there was a priority lane (same sign as when boarding for E/SE/Executive) but after standing there for 5 min and being ignored, I asked and was told this line was not being taken care of, and I had to go to the back of the other line. Although the single line was moving very slowly (3 clerks but with > 5 min per person for filling out claims), this was almost a good thing, since after 10 min, the carousel started moving again, and our wet bags got dumped out. I think they had been taken somewhere and left in the rain, and almost forgotten.

Hope the flight back will be less eventful.